Internal combustion engine



NOV. 17, 1931. N|VEN 1,832,574

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Sept. 19, 1927 INVENTOR. Mam/z /%9c4w9/,z Mrs/v A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCHIE MACPHAIL NIVEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original application filed September 19, 1927, Serial No. 220,295. Divided and this application filed September 9, 1929.

My invention relates to an air cooled internal combustion engine and more particularly relates to an arrangement of parts, whereby greater cooling efficiency may be obtained.

An object of my invention is to increase the air cooling efhciency for an air cooled internal combustion engine, particularly for a radial internal combustion engine, by providing a manifold construction so arranged as to eliminate dead air pockets in the vicinity of the manifolding.

A further object of my invention is to obtain maximum cooling efficiency for air cooled internal combustion engines of the radial type by so constructing and arranging the manifolding associated therewith that the major portion of the cylinders to be cooled are exposed to the influences of the cooling medium.

The application is a division of my copending application Serial N 0. 220,295, filed September 19, 1927.

For a more detailed understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form which my invention may assume, and i which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a radial internal combustion engine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the engine illustrating the sleeve driving mechanism;

Figure 3 is a detail section along 33 of Figure 1 illustrating the manifolding construction for a typical cylinder;

In the drawings the engine may comprise a main crank case 10 and end cover 11 together housing the crankshaft 12 journaled in bearings 13. 7

A plurality of cylinders 16 are arranged with their axes radiating from the crankshaft preferably in a common plane. Each cylinder 16 has its outer end closed by a cylinder head 17 which may extend within the cylinder to provide an annular sleeve pocket 18 and a recess 19 for one or more spark plugs 20. The single sleeve valve 21 is preferably located between the cylinder 16 and piston A, the cylinders being provided with intake Serial No. 391,126.

and exhaust ports 22, and 23 respectively controlled by the sleeve valve intake and exhaust pivotal connection D.

In order to impart to the sleeve valves 21 the desired combined reciprocating and oscillating movement to control the cyclic functioning of the engine, each sleeve is formed with a ball and socket 26 slidably receiving, a crank 27 rotatable in a bearing 28 conveniently rotated in a crank case wall 29 between the valve driving mechanism and the crank 24. The crank 27 is driven by a second crank 30 extending in a direction opposite to the crank 27. The cranks 27 and 30 togetherv form a unitary driving element or mechanism rotatable in bearing 28.

The several cranks 30 are journaled in an 7 element 31 which is in the nature of a strap mounted on an eccentric 32. This eccentric is rotatable in a suitable bearing conveniently carried by the cover 11 and may be driven in any suitable manner from the crankshaft 12.

Ordinarily the intake manifold is located at the rear of the engine and the exhaust manifold at the front, although the position of these parts might be reversed. I have shown the intake manifold 39 located in the customary position for radial engines. The exhaust gases are removed at a plurality of points, each cylinder being provided with diverging conduits 40, best shown in Fig. 3, fitted with exhaust manifolds or manifold sections 41. Each manifold 41 may be connected with adjacent conduits 40 of adjacent cylinders as shown in Fig. 2. Heretofore difficulty has been experienced in properly cooling thecylinders in the vicinity of the exhaust manifold which tends to be the hottest part of the engine and where branched exhaust manifolds were used dead air pockets formed between the branches where they were connected to the cylinders. By olfsetting the exhaust manifolds to either side of the axis of the cylinders as viewed in the direction of the slipstream, and by diverging the exhaust conduits 40, the portion of the cylinder in the vicinity of the exhaust conduits is exposed to an adequate suppl of cooling air and the formation of dea air pockets is avoided. Thus the air striking the cylinder-between conduits 40 may escape to either side as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, the diverging walls of the conduits 40 permitting such escape. The exhaust manifolds 41 may exhaust individually into the atmosphere or may be joined together for a single discharge as desired. 4

It will thus be noted, that I have obtained a maximum air cooling efficiency for internal combustion engines by so constructing and arranging the exhaust manfold as to expose the major portion of the cylinders to the influence of the cooling medium. This, together with the elimination of dead air pockets increases the engines efiiciency because of the greater cooling efiiciency obtained by my improved manifold construction and arrangement.

Although I have illustrated but one form of my invention and have described in detail but a single application thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains that variousmodifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An air cooled internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder whose'axis extends across the path of a current of cooling air and means for exhausting the products of combustion from said cylinder comprising a pair of exhaust conduits extending from the portion of said cylinder exposed to the air current and diverging so as to prevent the formation of a dead air pocket substantially as described.

2. An air cooled internal combustion engine for aircraft comprising a plurality of radially arranged cylinders extending across the slipstream, an exhaust manifold section between each pair of adjacent cylinders, each section having its opposite ends connecting separate exhaust outlets of adjacent cylinders.

3. An air cooled internal combustion engine for aircraft comprising a plurality of radially arranged cylinders extending across the slipstream, and'an exhaust manifold section between each pair of adjacent cylinders, each section having its opposite ends connecting separate exhaust outlets of adjacent cylinders, adjacent ends of adjacent sections diverging from each other so as to prevent the formation of a dead air pocket substantially as described.

4. An air cooled internal combustion engine for aircraft comprising a plurality of radially arranged cylinders extending across the slipstream, an exhaust manifold section between each pair ,of adjacent cylinders, said cylinders provided with separate exhaust outlet-s offset with respect to the longitudinal axial plane through said cylinders, each section having its opposite ends connecting the separate exhaust outlets of adjacent cylinder, thereby exposing the major portion of said cylinders to the influence of the cooling effects of the slipstream.

5. An air cooled internal combustion engine for air craft comprising a plurality of radially arranged cylinders extending across the slipstream, a segmental exhaust manifold section between each pair of adjacent cylinders, each section having its opposite ends connecting separate circumferentially spaced exhaust outlets of adjacent cylinders.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARCHIE MACPHAIL NIVEN. 

